Volume II: Filmography

THE TWO CENT MYSTERY

Helen Badgley in a lobby card for THE TWO CENT MYSTERY, released June 20, 1915

British release title: FAIRIES OR WITCHES

June 20, 1915 (Sunday)

Length: 1 reel (1,003 feet)

Character: Comedy

Cast: Helen Badgley (Barbara), Ethyle Cooke (her mother), Leland Benham (David), Jane Fairbanks (his mother)

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, June 19, 1915:

"This is a most terrible tale involving real money - two cents! Helen Badgley and Leland Benham are all upset about it, but the little darlings finally solve it, and two lollypops supply a sweet finish."

SYNOPSIS, Reel Life, June 19, 1915:

"In the annals of Scotland Yard there may be on record more intricate cases. But up to date the 'two-cent mystery' is still puzzling the heads of Barbara and David and their small friends. Barbara brings home from kindergarten a perfect report, and her mother rewards her with two bright pennies. She takes the pennies to the nursery, and while eating her dinner, hides them under a plate for safe keeping. A woman friend of her mother's drops in, and Barbara is called into the sitting room. On her return, she finds the money gone. At first she suspects that some of her dolls or toy animals may have taken it. But after careful investigation, she is convinced of their innocence. A little later, she distinctly sees a company of very small fairies dancing on the table. She believes now that the fairies have taken the coins to hide them in the bowels of the earth. But when the money unexpectedly drops upon her head, she is still more mystified, and fancies the fairies have been stricken with remorse.

"However, deciding to take no more chances, she promptly exchanges her wealth for candy which she eats as rapidly as possible. David, the small boy next door, has been locked into a closet because he has brought home a very villainous report. In the closet he is tormented by witches. Later, he tells Barbara that doubtless it was they who stole her pennies, and that the fairies rescued the money and brought it back to her. Nancy, Barbara's nurse, has yet another version of the mystery, however. She thinks it more than likely that in clearing the table, she overlooked the coins and that shaking the table cloth out the window, they fell into the awning below. Then, when the awning was lowered, they fell onto the child's head. But this, of course, is ridiculous. And Nurse Nancy does not believe in fairies, anyway."

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